Discord
by Mirrankei
Summary: "There! Again! I mean, yes, we are investigating." Athena gestured aimlessly. "But there is something in your voice that's off. Come on. Tell me. Why do you feel happy whenever you talk about this case?" "Miss Cykes," Klavier said carefully, "I may take pride in my work, but I can assure you, I am not so deranged as to feel pleasure at the thought of violent homicides." (KG/AJ)


"Soo, what's going on, then?"

"Hm?" Klavier asked distractedly. "You'll have to be more specific, fraulein, there's a lot going on. I am investigating a murder, after all."

Athena waved the comment away. "Yeah, but there's something on your mind. Come on, talk to me."

Klavier laughed. "If you're trying to get something out of me about tomorrow's trial, you'll have to do better than that, fraulein. I let you into the crime scene because I trust your motives, but I won't simply hand over information to the partner of my opponent. You'll have to investigate on your own."

"Aha, there it was again!"

"There was... what, exactly?"

"Your voice." Athena crossed her arms and grinned as if that explained everything.

Klavier laughed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Ah, I know many are moved by my melodious voice, but it's not often I am asked to talk instead of sing. Perhaps you would like me to pick up my guitar?"

"That's not what I meant, and you know it." She was blushing lightly, but leaned over to poke Klavier in the chest in spite of this. "Stop dodging the subject."

"Forgive me, fraulein, but I'm not sure what the subject is." He gestured at the chalk outline on the bloodstained carpet. "I was under the impression we were investigating for tomorrow's trial."

"There! Again! I mean, yes, we are investigating." Athena gestured aimlessly. "But there is something in your voice that's off. Come on. Tell me. Why do you feel happy whenever you talk about this case?"

Klavier slowly got to his feet, taking the time to brush off his pants and straighten his jacket before looking Athena firmly in the eye. "Miss Cykes," he said carefully, "I know that you may have a somewhat negative view of prosecutors, though I had hoped our friendship would alleviate some of that distrust. I may take pride in my work, but I can assure you, I am not so deranged as to feel _pleasure_ at the thought of violent homicides."

"No! No, I know that. That's not what I meant." Athena sighed and put her finger to her forehead, a mannerism she must have picked up from Apollo. "It's just, I can hear something in your heart when you talk about tomorrow's trial. I can hear it now, and you're not even saying anything. I guess it's none of my business if it doesn't relate to the case, but it's really bugging me."

Klavier was fairly certain he could hear his own heartbeat as well. After a moment, he spoke. "This is the trouble with working with your Whatever Agency–"

"Anything Agency."

"–Anything Agency. You're all far too perceptive."

Athena laughed. "Y'know, Apollo said almost the same thing the other day. I was hearing something weird with him, too."

"Did he?" Klavier said with utter disinterest. "Perhaps you should stop questioning other peoples' thoughts."

"Okay, I know I heard it that time, right when you said 'did he.' That was definitely a little note of happiness in–" She cut herself off, wide-eyed. "Oh. _Ohhhhhh_."

She grinned that cocky grin, and Klavier did his best to ignore her.

"It's whenever our Apollo comes up!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, fraulein."

"Ha, Polly's bracelet would be buzzing right off his wrist at the size of _that_ lie." Athena grinned and leaned over him as he crouched back down to gaze firmly at the bloodstains on the floor. "So, come on, spill the beans. What's going on with you two?"

"Nothing. And would you please refrain from disturbing the crime scene? Get off of that ladder."

"Stepladder," Athena said, almost instantaneously. Klavier raised an eyebrow and she scratched the back of her head. "Sorry. Agency thing. Trucy drilled it into me." She stepped off the rung and followed him to the door. "Anyway, does he know you like him at least? You gotta tell him."

"Miss Cykes, it is, as you said, not related to this case, and not any of your business. I would appreciate it if you would drop the subject."

"Your voice gets all formal and distant when you're embarrassed, you know that?" Athena's glee at her discovery was completely unhindered by Klavier's uncooperativeness. She practically skipped alongside him as they made their way back to the police line. "But you know whose business it is? Apollo's."

Athena's stroll was stopped by a strong hand on her shoulder. Klavier turned her around to face him, just beyond the sight of the police.

"Athena, if you tell Herr Justice…"

"You'll what?" Athena smirked. "Prosecute me?"

"If I could…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Athena seemed more amused than offended. "I don't know, it's bad form to keep secrets from your coworkers, and just cruel to keep them from your friends."

"Athena, please. This has nothing to do with you. My feelings for Herr Justice are…" He trailed off, unable to look at her directly. Athena's heart went out to him as she heard the turmoil floating around his heart. "It's not any of your concern. What do I have to do to keep you from telling him?"

Athena reached down to grab his hands. Smiling earnestly, she pulled him up to clasp in front of her chest.

"Give me the blackmail letter."

All expression dropped off the surface of Klavier's face. "There's a certain irony in that request."

"Not a request. You give me the letter– ooh, and the most up-to-date autopsy report– and my lips are sealed."

"This is extortion."

"Aw come on, it's not like Polly's not going to drag it out of you in court tomorrow anyway, you might as well hand it over now and save us all the trouble. Unless–" Athea smirked and nudged Klavier in the ribs with her elbow. "–Unless you _like_ it when Apollo has to drag everything out of you in court. You sly dog, there are easier ways to flirt, y'know."

Klavier cut her short by shoving a file folder into her hands.

Athena blinked, then beamed as she opened it up. "Now that's more like it! Hey, this is the autopsy report."

Klavier nodded and ran a stressed hand through his bangs. "Indeed. I have the blackmail note on file, but it will take some time for me to acquire a transcript for you."

"Nuh-uh, Mister Gavin. I said the blackmail letter, and I meant the original. For all I know there's something on the back, or a message in invisible ink, or only visible by candlelight, or magnetic…!"

"Magnetic," Klavier said flatly.

"You never know," Athena said firmly. "Original, or Apollo hears all about our little conversation here."

Klavier's eyes narrowed, and he gripped the letter harder in his hand. "If I give this to you, I don't want to hear anything on this subject again, Fraulein Cykes. This conversation never happened."

"Of course," said Athena. She smiled innocently. "You just gave me this evidence to help us all work together to uncover the truth. Out of the goodness of your heart."

"I mean it. None of this gets out to Herr Forehead, or Wright, or any of those in your Agency."

"Spoilsport," Athena said jokingly.

"ATHENA ALWAYS KEEPS HER PROMISES! :D"

Klavier eyed the little robotic necklace warily.

Athena just smiled. "I promise. Just give me the evidence, and Apollo can go on living in blissful unawareness of your crush."

Klavier sighed. He had a feeling he was making a horrible mistake, trusting her. He held out the papers.

Athena snatched them up instantly and shoved them into her bag without looking. Klavier flinched, envisioning the damage to the evidence, but he said nothing about it.

"All righty then," said Athena, still grinning maniacally. "Now then, I just promised to never talk about this subject again, so I'm just gonna say you need to strike while the iron's hot. Polly's not going to wait around forever, you know."

"I'll thank you to keep that promise, Fraulein." Klavier snapped his sunglasses open and jammed them onto his nose. He walked swiftly away, passing through the police line with no trouble. He waved carelessly over his shoulder. "I'll see you in court."

Athena watched him go but made no move for the exit, not ready to give up her investigation so soon. She shook her head fondly as she turned back, and pulled her phone out of her pocket.

"Heeey, Apollo!" she greeted. "I got us access to the crime scene, just drop on by whenever you're done at the morgue. Hm? No, no murder weapon yet, but I do have something for you from Prosecutor Gavin. …Yeah, I'll see you soon. Later!"

She hung up, stifling a chuckle in the back of her throat. She swore she could hear Apollo's excited heartbeat even over the phone. Tomorrow was going to be _fun_.


End file.
